The invention relates to a connector system for detachably connecting rotationally symmetrical parts, particularly parts of a spool for winding a skein-shaped product, with ring surfaces at the facing front surfaces of the parts to be connected, with locking projections extending from at least one of the ring surfaces in the direction of the other ring surface, and with detent recesses in the ring surface or both other ring surfaces, respectively, for receiving the locking projections to connect the parts in the manner of a bayonet catch by means of mutual rotation.
Connecting systems which act in various ways based on the principle of a bayonet catch, are disclosed in many embodiments. They are used in spools employed for winding skein-shaped products, e.g. wires or plastic strapping. Spools of this type consist, for example, of a cylindrical or conical spool body and two flange discs at both ends. They can be partially disassembled, for example to reduce the volume during transport, or for the purpose of unwinding the skein-shaped product. Spools will be quoted in the following description by way of examples, but the invention is not, however, limited to the detachable connection of spool parts.
With regard to the state of the art, reference will be made to DE 197 00 185 A1 and DE 40 01 250 A1.
DE 197 00 185 A1 describes, for example, a spool whose body converges conically on both sides from both end flange discs towards the middle, and is divided in the middle so that the two spool parts can be space-savingly stacked if they have to be transported unused. The two spool parts are connected by means of a kind of bayonet catch which allows the two parts to be connected with a certain degree of pretension. The pretension prevents the two spool parts from untwisting and separating, although the risk of such untwisting cannot be entirely eliminated if the spool is handled roughly or subjected to oscillation for long periods of time, during transport, for example.
The invention is therefore based on the task of providing a connector system of the aforementioned type, which can be operated easily and without tools, and which offers a high degree of security against unintentional detachment of the connection.
This task is solved in that, in the case of a connector system of the said type, a spring-loaded tongue is provided in alignment with the respective detent recesses, which engages behind the locking projections in the locked position and prevents the connected parts from untwisting into the detached position.
Hence the connection can only be detached when the spring-loaded tongue is pressed back out of its blocking position. This can be achieved by means of a pressure element, preferably disposed in sliding fashion directly on the ring surface in the vicinity of the detent recess.
Naturally, several locking projections and several detent recesses can be provided on the ring surfaces, and accordingly, spring-loaded tongues can be provided on several detent recesses. It can therefore be expedient to provide pressure elements for all the tongues on a common rotating ring.
The locking projections and detent recesses can be provided on one ring surface or on both ring surfaces, in which case they can take effect crosswise.
The locking projections preferably comprise a relatively narrow stem portion and, on top of said stem portion, a head that is enlarged, in the radial direction at least, and the detent recesses are preferably contrived in a keyhole shape. They correspondingly comprise an entry area for the locking projections that is wider in the radial direction, and, adjoining this in the circumferential direction, a narrower locking section. When the two parts are rotated in opposite directions the locking projections move in the circumferential direction from the entry area into the locking section, behind the lateral edges of which the head engages. In this position, the two parts of the spool are firmly connected.
Further, if the locking projections can be prevented by the spring-loaded tongues from moving out of the locking section into the entry area, all risk of the connection being unintentionally detached is eliminated.